Water treatment plant begins construction

October 22, 2011

General Manager of the Kent County Water Authority Tim Brown, Vice-Chair of the Board Peter Masterson, Chairman of the Board Robert Boyer and Ed Inman stand outside the start of construction on a water treatment facility in Coventry.

COVENTRYâAccording to General Manager Tim Brown, the Kent County Water Authority (KCWA) has been supplying customers with drinking water for close to five decades. The new Mishnock Well Field Treatment Plant will expand its capacities to Kent County Water Authority customers in Coventry, West Warwick, West Greenwich, as well as other neighboring towns, he explained.

Up until now, the water was been supplied from the Scituate Reservoir through the Providence Water Supply as well as one well operation located in East Greenwich, according to Brown. He explained that once completed, the authority will begin blending the water supply with purchased water and the ground water they will produce on site.

Wright Pierce, an engineering firm hired in 2007, initially designed the project to eliminate aesthetic contaminants, iron and manganese, according to a press release dated Oct. 13. They had incorporated future Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations on radon levels in the water supply in the design.

Hart Engineering Corporation was recently awarded the bid for the project for $11,570,000 in July.

Brown stated that the project will be complete within 18 to 20 months. The water will adhere to Rhode Island Department of Health regulations and undergo quality runs before delivery.

âOnce online, we will continue that process,â said Brown.

âWe are already a few months in,â he added. âWe started excavating the area last week for the installation of the foundation.â